I have done a lot for God
Still would do a lot more
But everyday I’m learning
God wants to do way more
In us so He can do much more
With us: obedience is the key

Many of us truly desire closer walk with God but can’t help wondering why we are making no progress. The importance of obedience cannot be overemphasized if intimacy with God is a priority that we want to make reality. Obedience is going where we are sent, doing what we are told and being okay with the outcome irrespective of our preferred outcomes. That’s what Abraham did – He went where God told him. Some of us want to choose where and how and when we do God’s will. Unfortunately, we don’t realize that we’ve taken over the process instead of following it. If we must thrive in Abba’s will, we must learn to follow not lead our Guide (Matthew 22:9a.)

Obedience is doing exactly what we’re told not what we think or want and prefer. Obedience is critical if we must find and live God’s will on a consistent basis. Like an ever-flowing stream, it’s a continuous process of hearing and following, repentance and humbling ourselves to learn, to return after we miss it, and continuing to press in no matter the cost. A lot of us think walking with God is about doing things for God but no: all that God calls us to is to watch out for His moves and follow. Jesus said, “I do what my Father does,” that is the simplest and shortest definition of obedience. From experience, I learned that not only does God lead so we can follow, He also enables or helps us to obey Him. He leaves the final decision to us: to follow or not, to obey or disobey. When our choice is to trust and obey, God doesn’t let us figure out our way. He leads and beckons on us to follow.

Abraham was set to offer up Isaac, but he was still listening otherwise he wouldn’t have heard God calling at that critical moment. It wasn’t a half-hearted sacrifice he was making: the boy was already given in his heart or it would have been impossible to physically accomplish. No, he wasn’t acting because God knows how to catch actors in their own craftiness. It was a wholehearted sacrifice he was offering God with ears and heart that stayed open to Him. This is where I used to miss it for many years, like my mum would say, “You hear go but you don’t hear return.”

If God asked me to do something, I get it done. If He’s screaming halfway to stop, I don’t listen. In fact, I bind contrary voices until I’m done or until He intercepts me. You can’t imagine my disappointment after “doing God’s will” and turning to Him with ears poised to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” only to hear God sound like my mum, “You weren’t listening.” What? “Why would You change it in midway?” I’d wonder, baffled, time and again. But that’s why He’s God: He’s in charge not us. It was a hard lesson for me but I eventually learned to be like my hero Abraham: you keep an open ear and heart while doing God’s will, flexible and ready to follow whichever way He leads (Matthew 22:11.) If you truly desire to abound in God’s will, you must be determined to meet His instructions with obedience.
(To be continued March 20, 2020)

Glory!